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Worship & Music

St Paul’s Cathedral has been here for over 1,400 years. It has been built and rebuilt five times, and always its main purpose has been as a
place of worship and prayer.

Visit Us

St Paul's, with its world-famous dome, is an iconic feature of the London skyline. Step inside and you can enjoy the Cathedral's awe-inspiring
interior, and uncover fascinating stories about its history.

Learning & Faith

Education is a core part of the Cathedral's work, delivered through a variety of events by St Paul's Forum, St Paul's Institute and the
Schools & Families department.

History & Collections

For more than 1,400 years, a Cathedral dedicated to St Paul has stood at the highest point in the City. The present Cathedral is the
masterpiece of Britain's most famous architect Sir Christopher Wren.

Support Us

Behind the scenes, the cost of caring for St Paul's and continuing to deliver our central ministry and work is enormous and the generosity of
our supporters is critical.

Venue Bookings

Widely considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful buildings and a powerful symbol of the splendour of London, St Paul’s Cathedral is a
breathtaking events venue.

Cathedral Art

Throughout its history, art in St Paul's Cathedral has inspired and illuminated the Christian faith for those who visit, and provided a focus
for reflection, meditation and contemplation.

St Paul’s Cathedral is home to a spectacular array of art; from the delicate carvings of Grinling Gibbons in the quire to Sir James Thornhill's
dome murals, as well as the Victorian mosaics and Henry Moore's Mother and Child: Hood. The
St Paul's Cathedral Visual Arts Programme seeks to explore the encounter between art and faith, offering a powerful and challenging context
with which artists can engage. In recent times, a series of interventions by artists including Rebecca Horn, Yoko Ono, Antony Gormley and Bill
Viola have further enriched the daily pattern of worship in the Cathedral.

Commemorative Crosses - Gerry Judah (2014 -)

As part of the Cathedral's commemoration to the Great War, two white cruciform sculptures, each over six metres high have been
installed at the head of the nave. The twin sculptures, by London artist Gerry Judah, recall in their shape and colour the
thousands of white crosses placed in the war cemeteries across the world. On the arms of the cross are intricate models of
contemporary and historical settlements decimated by conflict – such as we see daily in the news. Bearing the shells of bombed
out residential blocks, Judah's crosses bring to mind the horrors of total war.

All the World is now Richer - Sokari Douglas Camp (2014)

Six life-sized steel figures representing successive stages of the slavery story, were installed inside the West doors. This
work, by renowned African artist Sokari Douglas Camp CBE, was inspired by the words of liberated ex-slave William Prescott:
"They will remember that we were sold but they won’t remember that we were strong; they will remember that we were bought but
not that we were brave.” The installation commemorates the abolition of slavery but also the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther
King Jr preaching at the Cathedral.

Sorry, Sorry Sarajevo - Nicola Hicks (2013 - 2014)
A life size bronze sculpture of a man holding another man, dead or badly injured, in his arms. Created by acclaimed artist,
Nicola Hicks, the work was made in 1993, at the height of the Bosnian War, since when it has serve as a reminder that brutal
warfare has continued to rage around the world. The sculpture is situated at the east of the Cathedral in the Dean’s Aisle,
directly opposite Henry Moore’s 1983 sculpture, Mother and Child. This juxtaposition allows people to reflect both on
the beauty of birth and relationships, and on the horror of war, murder and bereavement.

Perspectives - John Pawson (2011 - 2012)
As part of the Cathedral's tercentenary celebrations, the London Design Festival invited John Pawson to present a remarkable
installation which referenced Sir Christopher Wren's desire that his buildings should have a scientific purpose. The
installation, entitled Perspectives, designed in collaboration with Swarovski, was located within the Geometric
Staircase.There was a good precedent for this idea of using the architecture as an optical instrument, since Wren used a
similar chamber in The Monument as an observatory.

Remembrance Day Poppy Installation - Ted Harrison
(2011)
Over 5,000 poppies were scattered under the dome of St Paul’s in an art installation on Remembrance Day. From ground level the
poppies appear to have fallen randomly, but when viewed from the Whispering Gallery the poppies form an image of three child
soldiers; one from the First World War and two from more recent conflicts. The 30 foot wide installation created by artist Ted
Harrison highlighted the involvement of children in war.

Red Mannheim - Mark
Alexander (2010)
St Paul's chose two new works by the British artist Mark Alexander to be hung either side of the nave. Both entitled Red
Mannheim, Alexander's large red silkscreens were inspired by the Mannheim Cathedral altarpiece, which was damaged by bombing
in WW2. The original sculpture depicts Christ on the cross. Rendered in splendid giltwood, with Christ's wracked body sculpted in
relief, and the flourishes of flora and incandescent rays from heaven, this masterpiece of the German Rococo was an object of
ravishing beauty and intense piety.

'Being Untouchable'
-Marcus Perkins (2011)An exhibition of photography, presenting rare and intimate portraits of the lives of Indian Dalits, or
‘untouchables’, for the charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide, was shown in the north quire
aisle.

Flare II - Anthony Gormley (2010)
This dramatic sculpture by Antony Gormley, was installed in the Geometric Staircase in April 2010. The artist said of the
installation: ‘Wren understood proportion, space and gravitational dynamics as no other British architect of his time and the
Geometric Staircase is a supreme and elegant outcome of this understanding. "Flare II" is my attempt to use applied geometry to
construct an energy field describing a human space in space. I am delighted to have the opportunity to show this work in such a
brilliant and relevant context.’

The Question Mark Inside - Martin Firrell (2008)
What makes your life worth living? The artist Martin Firell posed that question as part of an art work to celebrate the three
hundredth anniversary of the Cathedral. The public were invited to submit their responses and the artist interviewed leading
thinkers for their opinions. The results of the survey were projected onto the exterior of the Cathedral dome and made visible
across London for one week. The probing question drew punchy answers; some were funny, some profound, some were commonplace and
some politically challenging. All were beamed in giant letters on a blue background.

Morning Beams / River of Life / Wish Tree - Yoko Ono (2006)
St Paul’s Cathedral is an exceptionally light building; clear windows and reflective walls create a noticeably bright interior. The
building is also home to a famous painting The Light of the World by William Holman Hunt. Playing with the idea of a
physical body symbolising light, Yoko Ono installed an engaging installation using many ropes attached to the Cathedral to create
the illusion of shafts of light emanating from a natural source. Visitors were encouraged to explore between the beams and interact
with the artwork.

The Nativity, The Public Ministry, The Crucifixion, Resurrection - Sergei Chepik (2005 - 2007)
2005 saw the installation of four monumental paintings by Sergei Chepik, designed for the pillars to left and right of the Nave.
Panel 1: Nativity, Virgin and Child. Panel II: The Public Ministry, The Baptism. Panel III: The Crucifixion, The Judgement. Panel
IV: The Resurrection. The commission was undertaken in partnership with the Catto Gallery.

Moon Mirror – Rebecca Horn (2005)
A mixed-media sculpture installed in the west end of the cathedral, was shown as an extension of the Hayward Gallery’s
retrospective for German artist, Rebacca Horn. The piece consisted of a revolving mirror, set inside a static one, creating the
illusion of gazing deep into a well. Looking up, the viewer sees a moon, with fires flaring on its surface, suspended from the
cathedral's ceiling. The whole is accompanied by Rebecca Horn’s poem, arranged for choral performance by composer Hayden
Chisholm.